Use this guide to help you understand when to call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room, when to choose Boulder Medical Center Urgent Care, and what other options are available for non-emergency conditions.
When to Choose Boulder Medical Center Urgent Care
For illnesses and injuries that are not life-threatening and when your primary care provider is unavailable, Boulder Medical Center Urgent Care is the right choice.
Staffed by physicians and nurses seven days a week, our clinic can treat various conditions, including lacerations, fractures, abdominal pain, respiratory infections, and more. Our urgent care team provides prompt care and will refer you to more advanced facilities, primary care providers, or specialists if necessary.
Some of the conditions our Urgent Care staff can treat:
- Lacerations, fractures, and dislocations
- Abdominal pain
- Cough, asthma, pneumonia, upper respiratory infections
- Sore throat
- Ear infection
- Fevers and rashes
- Contusions and bruising
- Urinary infections
- Administering intravenous (IV) fluids
Pediatric Care
Our Urgent Care team can treat many pediatric conditions. Please call ahead for advice on your specific issue. If your child has one of the following conditions and cannot see their primary care provider, consider the Children’s Hospital Urgent Care as an alternative for:
- Infants three months old and younger with a fever over 100°F
- Children under 5 years old needing intravenous (IV) fluids
- Children with severe asthma or breathing difficulties
We partner with the Children’s Hospital for after-hours advice for our pediatric patients. The Children’s Hospital North Campus in Broomfield offers urgent and inpatient care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
When to Call 911 or Go to the Emergency Room
If you or someone you are with is experiencing any of the following symptoms, call 911 or go to an emergency room.
- Head injury with loss of consciousness, continuous vomiting, and/or change in level of alertness
- Difficulty breathing, especially if skin or lips are blue or if the person has asthma
- Chest pain with shortness of breath and/or jaw or arm pain (especially if there is nausea and or sweating)
- Ingestion of poison – Call poison control at 1-800-222-1222 for guidance.
- Numbness, tingling, paralysis, or weakness on one side of the body
- Slurred speech or difficulty speaking
- Severe headache or migraine along with blurred vision, numbness, tingling, paralysis, or difficulty speaking
- Seizures
- Fracture (broken bone) where the bone is sticking out of the skin
- Exposure to rabies (bats) or bite by a venomous snake
- Feelings or thoughts of suicide or homicide
- If the patient is the victim of a crime such as battery or sexual assault
Non-Emergency Conditions
If the situation is not a life-threatening emergency:
- Call your primary care provider first if the condition occurs during normal business hours. Same-day appointments may be available.
- After normal business hours, call your primary care provider and leave a message for the on-call provider who can guide you to the best treatment options and locations
If you are seen in an Emergency Room or Urgent Care, ask the provider to notify your primary care physician and send a copy of your visit.